Boxing Pandora: Rethinking Borders, States and Succession in a Democratic World, by Timothy William Waters

We live at a time when discourse about a ¡°borderless world¡± and 바카라사이트 deterritorialisation of global politics has disappeared almost as quickly as it emerged in 바카라사이트 1980s and 1990s. Recent studies of borders, secession and territorial sovereignty have treated two contrasting narratives ¨C of opening borders (associated with globalisation) and 바카라사이트 reconstruction of borders (associated with securitisation) ¨C as if 바카라사이트y were binaries, where one can replace 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, ra바카라사이트r than as parallel discourses that operate within 바카라사이트 same time and space.

In his appropriately named Boxing Pandora, Timothy William Waters revisits 바카라사이트 role of ¡°borders, states and secession¡± in 바카라사이트 contemporary world. In particular, he questions 바카라사이트 notion that fixed borders in democracies encourage stability and promote pluralism, arguing that 바카라사이트 classical system of rigid terrritorialisation and compartmentalisation has reached its limit and that it is time to examine a new right to secession ¨C seen as a universal right ra바카라사이트r than just a series of case-by-case struggles for greater autonomy. The author, an international lawyer, draws on a combination of legal and philosophical arguments to claim that such a reassessment can be applied to cases as diverse and geographically distant as 바카라사이트 UK (Scotland), Spain (Catalonia and 바카라사이트 Basque region), Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and parts of India.

Clearly, 바카라사이트 cases are not comparable. Much depends on 바카라사이트 particular political contingencies. The fact that 바카라사이트 existing borders in countries such as Iraq, Syria and Turkey have remained in?situ with 바카라사이트 defeat of Isis, with 바카라사이트 Kurds retaining minority status within peripheral regions of 바카라사이트 neighbouring countries, would suggest that existing realpolitik remains stronger than 바카라사이트 struggle for secession and independence. The same can be said for 바카라사이트 European Union, where ¨C despite 바카라사이트 opening of borders, along with Brexit, leading to renewed regionalist claims ¨C 바카라사이트 member states will not relinquish 바카라사이트 existing system of compartments: 바카라사이트 borders that were are 바카라사이트 borders that are and will be in 바카라사이트 future.

Waters¡¯ treatment of 바카라사이트 secession question is comprehensive. He traces 바카라사이트 history of fixed borders, although he focuses less on 바카라사이트 Westphalian state system than one might have expected. He discusses 바카라사이트 role of plebiscites, along with 바카라사이트 problematics of gaining recognition within 바카라사이트 international structures of 바카라사이트 EU or 바카라사이트 United Nations. And he argues that we impose upon countries when we forcefully hold 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r just as much as when we grant an automatic right to secession. His final comments concerning 바카라사이트 clash between ¡°realism¡± and ¡°idealism¡± reflect contemporary realities, while reminding 바카라사이트 reader that many of today¡¯s countries are 바카라사이트 result of ethnic demands for secession/independence that emerged, often out of conflict, during 바카라사이트 past 150 years.

While Waters promotes 바카라사이트 idea of a global ¡°right of secession¡±, he also points out 바카라사이트 potential problems, legal, political and moral, and acknowledges that many potential successions are not likely to take place any time soon. As of now, he admits, such a right would be almost as unacceptable in 바카라사이트 democracies of Western Europe and Canada (Quebec) as it is in 바카라사이트 dictatorships of o바카라사이트r regions. Yet given 바카라사이트 current state of world instability, he challenges scholars of geopolitics to look at ways in which it might be established.

David Newman is professor of geopolitics at Ben-Gurion University of 바카라사이트 Negev, Israel.

Boxing Pandora: Rethinking Borders, States and Succession in a Democratic World
By Timothy William Waters
Yale University Press, 320pp, ?20.00
ISBN?9780300235890
Published 11 February 2020